As Good As Any: Australian Militia Battalions, 1939–1945 by James Morrison (Cambridge University Press, Australian Army History Series) is the first comprehensive study devoted to the Australian Militia battalions that served during the Second World War. Morrison examines how these part-time citizen soldiers evolved from a force initially intended for home defence into experienced combat units that played a vital role in the defence of Australia and the New Guinea campaigns. The book challenges the long-held perception that the Militia stood in the shadow of the all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF), demonstrating that many Militia battalions fought with distinction under extremely demanding conditions.

Among the most significant operations covered are:

• The Kokoda Track Campaign (1942) – Militia battalions, particularly the 39th Battalion, along with the 53rd and 55th/53rd Battalions, formed the first line of resistance against the Japanese advance towards Port Moresby. Their determined defence at Kokoda, Deniki, Isurava and Brigade Hill bought invaluable time for reinforcements to arrive.
• The Battle of Milne Bay (1942) – The 9th, 25th, 61st (among other Militia units, alongside AIF formations) helped inflict Japan's first major land defeat of the Pacific War, proving that Japanese forces could be defeated in jungle warfare.
• The Buna–Gona Campaign (1942–43) – Several Militia battalions participated in the arduous fighting to eliminate heavily fortified Japanese beachheads on the north coast of Papua, enduring severe casualties in some of the most difficult conditions faced by Australian troops.
• The Salamaua Campaign (1943) – Militia units contributed to the advance on Salamaua, conducting demanding jungle operations that tied down Japanese forces while preparing the way for the assault on Lae.
• The Huon Peninsula Campaign (1943–44) – Militia battalions served alongside AIF divisions during the capture of Finschhafen, Sattelberg and the subsequent advance along the Huon Peninsula, helping secure northern New Guinea.
• The Finisterre Range Campaign (1943–44) – Militia formations supported operations through some of New Guinea's most rugged mountain terrain, culminating in the capture of the strategically important Shaggy Ridge.

Drawing on official records, unit war diaries and personal accounts, Morrison highlights the courage, endurance and professionalism of Australia's citizen soldiers. As Good As Any argues persuasively that the Militia earned a place alongside the AIF as an indispensable component of Australia's wartime army, making an important contribution to the defence of Papua and New Guinea and ultimately to Allied victory in the South-West Pacific.